How to Make & Apply a Tourniquet

Video Transcript

"You know, unfortunately, at times someone receives such a major injury to a limb that a tourniquet will have to be applied. Hi, I'm Captain Joe Bruni. What we're going to talk about is how to properly apply a tourniquet. We could use any type of cloth material; however, what seems to work best is some type of bandanna, or cravat material found in our readily handy first-aid kit. We would take our material, and fold it in such a fashion that we form what looks like a bandage, three to four inches wide. We would then place that bandage above the injured site, and tie our basic overhand knot, like beginning to tie your shoe. We would then take take something rigid, like a stick, screwdriver, make-up brush; anything that we could find that can be twisted to make the tourniquet tighter. We would then tie our next overhand knot over top of that device, and begin to twist that device to tighten up the bandage and form the tourniquet. Once we get it tight enough we can tie it down once again, using the tails of our tourniquet, and then securing that stick in place with some type of cling material or gauze wrapped around the site. Unfortunately, a tourniquet has to be applied at times to stop life loss from severe bleeding of amputation or other trauma to extremities. I'm Captain Joe Bruni. Stay safe, and we'll see ya' next time."